Learn how to make delicious vegetarian chopped liver from a Jewish family recipe. This meat-free recipe truly mimics the flavor of chopped liver. It includes whole food ingredients – nothing processed. With a healthy blend of sautéed onions, hard boiled eggs, peas, and walnuts, what’s not to love?
Chopped liver is an iconic Jewish dish. I usually make it the traditional way, which I’ve outlined in great detail in this post. But lately we’ve been eating more meatless meals. I’m gravitating towards vegetarian recipes, and this one fits the bill!
There are so many variations on meat-free chopped liver. A reader named Sheri Ellyn Gross shared this particular version with me back in 2010. She calls it “Aunt Bev’s Mock Liver.” Of the recipe, she says: “I make this every year for the holidays. My Mom likes it better than the real thing.”
Sheri’s background is Ukranian. Her grandparents came to America in the early 1900’s from Kiev, Russia, and settled in Chicago. Her great grandfather was a baker by trade; he opened a bakery in Chicago and became famous for his challah and other breads.
My family really enjoys Aunt Bev’s recipe. It is much lighter than traditional chopped liver, and has plenty of protein. Although nothing beats the real thing, the flavor of this Vegetarian Chopped Liver might surprise you.
Many thanks to Sheri Ellyn Gross for sharing Aunt Bev’s delicious Vegetarian Chopped Liver recipe with us!
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Aunt Bev's Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (the original recipe calls for vegetable oil)
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 4 peeled hard boiled eggs, divided
- 15 ounces peas, drained (1 can)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot enough to fry. Sauté the chopped onion for several minutes until it softens and caramelizes.
- In a food processor, combine sautéed onion, toasted walnuts, 3 of the peeled hard boiled eggs, and peas.
- Pulse, then process until the puree resembles chopped liver. Add salt and pepper to taste, and process again to blend.
- Chop up the remaining egg. Garnish the vegetarian chopped liver with the last chopped egg and parsley. Serve with crackers for spreading, or matzo during Passover (if you are celebrating Sephardic style - peas are considered kitniyot). Enjoy!
NOTES
Nutrition
Terrific recipe, TA! As per my mother, I used to make veggie liver with string beans, but the canned peas seem to add a certain sweetness which to my humble palate, gives it more of a ‘meaty taste,’ while the string beans tasted very flat in comparison. Toasting the walnuts to bring out their flavor is an inordinately good idea as well.
While looking at real chopped liver long enough can harden your arteries senseless, this substitute comes very close in texture and even in taste (at least for those first few seconds). Thank you for sharing.
Glad you liked it Moshe!
Love your website! Thanks! The best veggie chopped liver ever!
Yay Laura! So glad you like it. 🙂
my neighbor who was a great cook and baker in her younger years insists that cashew nuts give a whole, and better flavor than walnuys, and good for those allergic to walnuts.
shanah tova!
Just like my mom’s! Love it. I use 3 eggs and a little mayo.
Can I freeze it?
Hi…
I see that you say in the ingredients that the eggs are divided, but I don’t see any instructions for that. I also that that you garnish with chopped egg. And, in the picture, I only see three eggs (not sure if the 4th is covered with the other ingredients). So, in the actually mixture, do you only use 3 eggs? And, the 4th is for garnish? I was putting the recipe into a calorie calculator, so I wanted to check.
THanks!
Blend 3 eggs, use the 4th for garnish.
The white of the eggs added to the product, makes it just a little more moist or fluffier. I am not tori and can not wait to see what she says 0-)
I would leave it without and I think that it would be fine but if you do find it heavy, seeds removed of grated zucchini,,,that would work
does your husband have a special mayo, that would be an excellent subsitution!
My husband can’t have eggs. Any suggestions for substitute or can I just leave out the eggs??
I haven’t tried it myself, but the first substitute that comes to mind is cooked chickpeas. I would definitely substitute something for the eggs, as they add a lot to the texture. I can’t promise it will work, but I’m guessing it will probably be great. If you try it let me know!
Can’t use nuts but chic peas work well with green beans try a little light soy sauce or
Honey garlic for a sweeter taste
Sruky what is honey garlic?
I am making my veggie chopped liver for Thanksgiving with the sunflower seeds on Wednesday.
For me, the color of the chopped liver is brown, and if I would use chickpeas the color would be off.
I just checked and I am out of lentils. If we made the chopped liver with lentils……the color would work.
Linda suggested using sunflower seeds in place of walnuts……yummo yummo yummo
I purchased roasted sunflower seeds and OMG, we could not get enough of the chopped liver.
This recipe will be made again and again, it is easy and I hope that I did not forget to say delicious.
BTW,,used only the white of the egg
This is a often requested dish that I make for all the holidays. I use defrosted frozen peas and steamed green beans, as well. Love, love, love it!
Do you use fresh green beans & steam or frozen/canned? Need a yummy vegetarian liver substitute .
@Devra – I use fresh green beans and steam them until tender in the microwave.
I use 1 roasted eggplant instead of peas, and 2 – 3 medium onions.
This is a staple at my house every Pesach- it’s the best on matza! I make it with green beans instead of peas- I sauté them with the onions. I’ve tried it with no egg yolks, but the texture is not good. I usually leave one or two yolks out with little affect.
This is a very good dip. The flavours blend well together and I love the fibre and protein content. Dips are my favourite food and I will be making this again!
I use 1 cup of lentils, cooked in vegetable broth or parve “chicken” broth till tender. Otherwise the same. Outstanding! And I think a little more healthy then canned peas. Also tons of onions
The canned peas are a real surprise but I bet this tastes great, I’m going to try it minus the egg yolks and see what happens. Any advice for subbing out the egg yolks (cholesterol-free)?
LL
Hey Lori Lynn! I know, it’s a very 60’s touch– but the sweetness and softness of the canned peas works perfectly for some reason! I’ve never tried subbing out the egg yolks, I don’t think it would work because a lot of the texture and flavor comes from the hard boiled yolks– though you could omit the garnish on the top to cut one egg out. I’d be curious to see if egg whites work the same, if you try it will you let me know?
I don’t eat liver, chopped or otherwise, but this I will eat. I just love dips and spreads made with nuts. Nuts are loaded with protein, fiber, calcium and iron, but I eat them ’cause they taste good.
Linda, I am very allergic to tree nuts. An excellent substitution for the walnuts in this recipe is roasted OR raw sunflower seeds, available in the regular supermarket (no need to go to a health food store). Not only will they taste good, but the color of them lends itself to the “look” of real chopped liver. Best wishes, Cindy
Thank you for the suggestion Cindy!
Cindy
My rabbi is highly allergic to tree nuts, so our shul is nut-free. We as a family, since aware of this have given up peanuts and do eat other nuts.
I am thrilled to substitute sunflower seeds in its place since it is healthier and we do eat soy nut and soy butters. I never thought of it!
Thank you so much for sharing
Laura
Great substitute with eggs and walnut gives the liver color touch. Could be a good alternative to good ol’ egg salad 🙂
Hope you are doing great, Tori!
Thanks Ilke, you too!
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Can you use fresh or frozen peas? Thanks in advance!
I’ve tried fresh cooked peas Sandi, but for some reason it did not taste the same– it was good, but not quite as good as the canned peas. But if that’s all you have on hand, it will work– just make sure you cook them before adding to the mix, and you’ll need to season the mixture a bit more to taste (canned peas have some salt in them). Enjoy!
i am very allergic to walnuts
what if anything can i substitute?
Hi Linda, most variations of vegetarian chopped liver that I’ve tried contain walnuts. Are you allergic to all nuts or just walnuts in particular? If you can eat other nuts, you might try pecans or macadamia nuts. I can’t promise it will turn out great because I’ve never tried it, but it’s worth a shot! If you find that one of those suggestions work, please report back and let me know. 🙂
I make a similar Version of this using sauteed onions hard boiled eggs green peas and ground walnuts OR almonds. Tastes great!
too late for Linda maybe but Morning Star Meatless crumbles work great.